Method of and means for rolling channel or like sections from strip metal



March 14, 1939. c. v. SMITH 2,150,731

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROLLING CHANNEL OR LIKE SECTIONS FROM STRIP METAL Filed June 27, 193 s Sheets-Sheet '1 c. v. SMITH 2,150,731

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROLLING CHANNEL OR LIKE SECTIONS FROM STRIP METAL March 1-4, 1939.

Filed June, 27, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 U m m V H. 6 mm H k J. 5 Q. n 2, J n W p 1m u n x a E \& n 1 72 12 3, "w m" T J 5 d M u N m March 14, 1939. 5M|TH 2,150,731

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ROLLING CHANNEL OR LI KE SECTIONS FROM STRIP METAL Filed June 27, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 PATENT oFFicE METHOD OF AND' MEANS FOR. ROLLING CHANNEL OR LIKE SECTIONS FROM STRIP METAL Charles Victor Smith, Weybridge, Surrey, .Eng-

land, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Viekers-Armstrongs Limited, London, England Application-lune, 1938,Serial No. 216,106 In Great Britain October 5,, 19,37

9 Claims.

:IIhis invention relates to the method .of and "means -:for manufacturing channel, angle or :other .like rolled sections (hereinafter termed channel, sections) {from a strip by passing the strip .through .a series of rolls which progressively bend or fold the strip to a chann'elform. In .using such a sectionin structures, and par- :ticularly aircraftstructures, .it is necessary to shape the section to a certain predetermined .profile, :the curve of which profile zmayor may -not vbe circular but-may be elliptical, parabolic rorzother non-:circular form and moreover may vary at different partsof the section.

According to this invention, ,in the rolling of i5 tchannel sections from ,a flat strip by a series of .zrolls which progressively bend or ,fold the strip to, its channel form,-the step is introduced of simultaneously moving some of the rolls acrossthe direction of travel of the strip .to curve it'heiaxis of'the channelto apredetermined pro- .to acurve of simple or circular form orthey ,may .be 'moved progressively with the travel of .;.the strip to bend the channel to a curve of complex or variable form, i. .e., an ellipse or parabola or a combination of these. Apparatus for rolling such channel sections (.COIIlPI'iSBS a series of rolls for progressively bending or folding the strip to a channel form, de- -1ViC6S -for carrying said rolls, some of which devices are arranged to slide transversely of the direction of travel of the strip and to tilt to keep the rolls normal to the strip mall positions and meansfor displacing said devices during the'movement of the strip through the rolls. Thusthe pairs of rollers so displaced are caused to take up their correct positions at any instant ion the predetermined profile of the axis ,of the channel, Whether the profile is one of constant curvature or of variable curvature.

The displacement of the devices carrying the 45 pairs of rolls is effected bysingle or multiple :camsand in the case ,of multiple cams eachof these comprisesmultiple cam elements with follower elements, one of which elements, for instance the follower element, is adjustableand v.canqbeset in any one of a number of .diiierent positionsdepending upon the desired profileof the axis of the channelbeingrolled. Thus without the-changing of cams orany other altera- -,tion.except the. setting of ,thefollower elements,

, the apparatus can be used for the cold ,rolling of channel sections of a large number of different profiles, whether semicircles, ellipses, parabolas or similar curves, or a combination of such curves.

Diagrams indicating onemeans for manufac- 5, turing channel sections by the 1method accord- .ing to this invention are shown by Way of example innthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional plan with the roll housings in one position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view toFig. 1 butshowing the roll housings in another position.

Fig. :3 is a side elevation of one of the cams andits follower.

.Figs. 4 to 9 are sections onthe lines IVIV, V--.V, VI-VI, VIIVII, VIII--VIII and IX.IX respectively in 2, showing thepro- -gressive stages-of bending of the strip in pro- .ducing a typical channel section according to this invention.

.Inaa practical embodiment, the strip A to be foldedto channel form and bent to a predetermined curvature is supplied from a reel I and passes through saysix roll housings marked 2, '3, .4, 5,6 and I, each containing at least one pair of rolls, which progressively fold the'strip' to therequired form which may be as shown a channel with the Web of the channelcorrugated and-with the ends of the'flanges bent inwardly .forstifieningpurposes. The first three housings 24 are fixed but the last three rollhousings v5 to l are so mounted that they can be slid -.transve1'sely of the direction of travel of the strip and can also-tilt angularly inproportion .to the sliding adjustment, as shown in Fig. 2. For instance, they-aremounted on pivots 8, 9 and Hi, respectively, carried by slides II, 12 and -l -3 by which they can be moved transversely and two housings -5 and'fi are provided with extensions 15, I5 pivoted on fixed pivots l6, ll arranged that when movedtransversely they swing about an arcuate path so that they are thereby tilted into the required positions. The third housing Lis similarly arranged but as the swingingmovementis larger than thatof theothertwo, instead of being pivoted it is provided with an extension i8 carryinga roller l9 workingin a cam guide 20.

Thepositioning and tilting of these roll housings is carried out by a series of three cams 2|, .22, .23, mounted on three vertical spindles 24, 25and 26 .at the'rear of the machine. Each cam comprises a series of cam elements 2! to 42 .of approximatelysectorshape arranged in stag- .gered relations'hipas shown. The multiple cam elements on each spindle are arranged in the form of a spiral and engage with a slotted follower element 43 carrying a series of follower rollers 44 mounted on carriers 45 which are slidable in the slots 46 in the follower and are thus adjustable in relationship to each other and to the cam elements, so that by adjusting and fixing the follower rollers with their carriers at any desired position, the cam elements will impart to the slidable roll housings the necessary amount of transverse movement according to the predetermined profile to be given to the channel section. The position of the rollers 44 on each follower is conveniently determined by distance pieces 41 which fit in the slots 45 between the roller carriers 45 and the closed ends of the said slots in the follower. Clamping devices 60 are provided for securing the follower elements in their adjusted position. The cam and follower elements are so set that a balanced thrust is imparted to the follower 43. Each slotted follower is connected to the slides ll, I2 and I3 through rods 48 and each follower is held in contact with the cam elements during the return stroke by a spring or springs, such as 9 or by a pneumatic piston (not shown). Where a pneumatic piston is employed the air for operating the pneumatic piston may be controlled by a valve adapted to admit compressed air at definite intervals.

The driving of the rolls in the three housings 5, 6 and I must be effected in such a manner that it is not interrupted by' the transverse and tilting movements and this may, for example, be secured by connecting each roll in said housings with a short spindle 55 having Hooks joints 5| at each end by which the roll is connected to a counter-shaft 52 free to slide in a gear box 53, said counter-shaft having a short pinion 54 in constant mesh with a long pinion 55 rotatably mounted in said box and in driving engagement through the gearing 56 with a shaft 51. Thus the counter-shaft is permitted to slide transversely with the rolls as these move transversely while the spindles 5E! permit the rolls to tilt with the housings, without interfering with the drive.

The cams 2|, 22, 23 are driven bygearing 58 and a shaft 59, which is interconnected in a suitable Way (not shown) with the shaft 5! driving the forming rolls so that the cams and rolls are driven synchronously.

Figs. 4 to 9 show typical sections of strip material bent by the apparatus hereinbefore described and illustrated. The strip being fed in at one end of the machine and being first fiattened and then progressively bent to the desired final form, which in the example illustrated is a channel with inturned flanges and a corrugated or dished web, and also bent to the desired profile curve. By displacing the housings 5, 6 and l to, and maintaining them at a constant position, the curve to which the channel so formed will be bent will be of a simple form but by varying the positions of the said housings by the cam and follower mechanisms, as the strip continues to be fed through the rolls, the channel section 'can be bent to a complex curve of any form within limits. In operation the strip is first fed through the rolls while these are in the position shown in Fig. 1 until the strip extends from the housing 2 to the housing I and is in engagement with the rolls in each housing and then the housings 5, 6 and i are displaced to impart the neces-- sary curvature to the strip, while the feeding of the strip is continued until a predetermined length of channel folded and bent is formed. This length is then cut off from the remainder of the strip. The formation of this length constitutes a cycle of the machine operation and this cycle may be repeated indefinitely, a geared pointer and dial (not shown) driven from the shaft 51 may be provided conveniently to indicate the beginning and end of each cycle.

One of the important advantages of this machine is the considerable saving in material which arises from the pre-forming and bending of the material in strip form, permitting the exact length to be out 01f. Other advantages will be apparent from the foregoing description.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The herein described method of producing curved rolled sections from flat strip material which consists in feeding the strip through a series of rolls adapted to roll the strip progressively to the required section, and simultaneously moving at least some of the rolls transversely acrossthe direction of travel of the strip and angularly to maintain the rolls approximately at right angles to an axis of the strip in all positions.

'2. The herein described method of producing curved rolled sections from fiat strip material which consists in feeding the strip successively through a'series of aligned rolls adapted to act on the strip and progressively bend it to the required section as it passes through the rolls from one end to the other, and simultaneously moving some of the last rolls through which the strip passes across the direction of travel of the strip and angularly to keep the displaced rolls approximately at right angles to the strip in all positions.

3. Apparatus for producing curved rolled sections from strip material comprising a series of rolls for progressively rolling the strip to a required sectional form, means for carrying at least some of the said rolls so that they can be moved transversely of the strip and also tilted to keep the rolls approximately normal to the strip at all positions and means for displacing said carrying means during the movement of the strip through the rolls.

l. Apparatus for producing curved rolled sections from strip material comprising a series of rolls arranged to act successively on the strip to roll it to a required sectional 'form, means for mounting at least some of the said rolls so that they can be moved relatively to the others in a direction transversely of the movement of the strip and so that they can also be tilted to keep the rolls approximately'normal to the strip at all positions and means for displacing said mounting means during the movement of the strip through the rolls.

5. Apparatus for producing curved rolled sections from strip material comprising a series of aligned rolls arranged to act successively on the strip to roll it to a required sectional form, means for mounting at least some of the said rolls so that they can be moved out of their aligned position in a direction transversely of the movement of the strip and so that they can also'be tilted to keep the rolls approximately normal to the strip at all positions and means displacing said mounting means while the strip is being fed through, and acted on by, the rolls.

6. Apparatus for producing curved rolled sections from strip material comprising a series of rolls arranged to act in succession on the strip and roll it to a required sectional form, means for carrying some of the said rolls so that they can be moved transversely of the movement of the stripand also tilted to keep the rolls approximately normal to the strip at all positions and cam mechanism for displacing said carrying means during the movement of the strip through the rolls.

7. Apparatus for producing curved rolled sections from strip material comprising a series of rolls arranged to act in succession on the strip and to roll it to a required sectional form, means for driving said rolls, means for carrying some of the said rolls so that they can be moved transversely of the movement of the strip and also tilted to keep the rolls approximately normal to the strip at all positions, means for connecting said movable rolls with said driving means in such a manner that they can be displaced without interrupting the drive, cam mechanism displacing said carrying means during the movement of the strip through the rolls and means for driving said cam mechanism synchronously with said means for driving the rolls.

8. Apparatus for producing curved rolled sections from strip material comprising a series of aligned rolls for successively acting on the strip and rolling it to a required sectional form, means for carrying at least some of the said rolls so that they can be moved transversely of the movement of the strip and also tilted to keep the rolls approximately normal to the strip at all positions and multiple sector-shaped elements arranged in staggered positions on a spindle and arranged in the form of a spiral and follower elements attached to said carrying means for the rolls adapted to be engaged by said sector-shaped elements, one of which elements is adjustable and can be set in any one of a number of different positions depending upon the desired curvature of the axis of the section being rolled, whereby the said cam and follower elements displace said carrying means during the movement of the strip through the rolls.

9. Apparatus for producing curved rolled sections from strip material comprising a series of rolls arranged successively to act on the strip and roll it to a required sectional form, means for carrying at least some of the said rolls so that they can be moved transversely of the movement of the strip and also tilted to keep the rolls approximately normal to the strip at all positions, and cam mechanism for displacing each of said movable carrying means during the movement of the strip through the rolls, said cam mechanism comprising multiple sector-shaped elements arranged in staggered positions on a spindle and arranged in the form of a spiral, follower elements adapted to engage with said sector-shaped elements, said follower elements being adjustable on a follower connected to the said roll carrying means, distance pieces for determining the position of said follower elements relative to the fol- 

